Need Help Identifying Wall Toggle Switches

Can't help with the history and such but you might look here

Sure sound like the low-voltage remote switches that were in my brother-in-law's house. They mounted the same way - 3 wire units.

On Tue 18 Jan 2011 08:54:52p, told us...

No, the OP is talking about line voltage switches. We had some in our house in the 1950s and 1960s. They were modular and included switches, single receptacles, and pilot lights, and were designed primarily for flexibility and the ability to install 3 devices in a single gang box.

They are called "Despard" switches. They are still available. It's a modular system that can have 1, 2 or three devices (switches, pilot lights, etc) in each single outlet space.

You can also get 2 or 3 gang switches already mounted on one plate, check the kitchen and bath section at Home Depot. They are commonly used for bathroom light/fan/heater combos.

We have a winner! I've seen them and I read about them hear a couple years ago, but forgot the name.

They are called "Despard" and they are still available, but can be difficult to find

They are called Despard switches. Pass & Seymour makes interchangeable replacements likely available at your local real supply house.

Thank you all! I Googled a million images with every conceivable description and nothing showed up. There was nothing on the switch itself to identify it, should have looked more carefully at the bracket. Thanks again! Frank

You should have showed a pic. You didn't say if you looked on Allied. or other electronics sites, even Grainger. Why don't you pick one like you need from the images. Just make sure its rated for 120 VAC and 15 amps. DC requires more amps, so 10 DC should be fine with a

I did look at pics on Google Images. Nothing came up at Grainger or Allied either..

On 1/19/2011 9:12 AM zek spake thus:

Not good suggestions. Allied carries no household electrical items like those kinds of switches, and Grainger isn't a good place to look for speciality residential electrical items either. Your local electrical supply house is the place to go.

Where do you get "DC" from? This is undoubtedly in a common household

The magic word you're looking for, IIRC, is "Despard."

nate

On 1/18/2011 7:54 PM Dean Hoffman spake thus:

Sorry to bug you about this, but why do people suggest Allied for household *electrical* items?

That's like suggesting Home Despot for electrolytic capacitors or integrated circuits. They just don't carry that stuff.

I've got those in my house, have seen them before, but never heard the name Despard before. Great information! Northe

Just because of their big selection of whatever. They seemed like a place to look for odd stuff.

On 1/19/2011 3:06 PM Dean Hoffman spake thus:

But not that kind of odd stuff. Use your head; they're an *electronics* supplier, like DigiKey, Mouser, Jameco, etc. These places don't stock light switches and duplex outlets and home electrical circuit breakers. Just like an electrical supply house won't have polyester capacitors, resistors and 3-terminal voltage regulators.

Please do your part to keep the signal-to-noise ratio here on Usenet high.